Drury University
Drury University, formerly Springfield College, is a private liberal arts college in Springfield, Missouri. The university enrolls about 1,600 undergraduates, 450 graduate students in six master's programs, and 3,160 students in the College of Continuing Professional Studies.
Established in 1873, Drury is consistently ranked among the best liberal arts universities in the American Midwest. In 2013, the Drury Panthers Men's Basketball team won the NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship.
History
Drury was founded as Springfield College in 1873 by Congregationalist church missionaries in the mold of other Congregationalist universities such as Dartmouth College and Yale University. Rev. Nathan Morrison, Samuel Drury, and James and Charles Harwood provided the school's initial endowment and organization; Samuel Drury's gift was the largest of the group and the school was soon renamed in honor of Drury's recently deceased son.
The early curriculum emphasized educational, religious, and musical strengths. Students came to the new college from a wide area, including the Indian Territories of Oklahoma. The first graduating class included four women.